Rotary ink proofing apparatus



00L 5 H. c. SMITH 2,719,483

ROTARY INK PROOF'ING APPARATUS Filed D90. 17, 1952 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. flue/v 6. 67w 77/ A BY 42mm Oct. 4, 1955 H. 0. SMITH 2,719,483

ROTARY INK PROOFING APPARATUS Filed D60. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Shee'l. 2

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- w y /& /5 l7 5 W "Z K United States Patent ROTARY INK PROOFING APPARATUS Hugh C. Smith, Parchment, Mich, assignor to Kalamazoo Vegetable Parchment Co., Parchment, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 17, 1952, Serial No. 326,562

11 Claims. (Cl. 101-245) This invention relates to improvements in ink proofing apparatus.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a proofing apparatus for solvent type printing inks and one particularly adapted for inks of the types generally known as rotogravure inks and aniline types which enables very rapid testing or proofing of the inks on the material to which the inks are to be applied.

Second, to provide an ink proofing apparatus having the above advantage which is readily adapted for rotogravure types of inks or aniline types and one which may be quickly cleaned after using.

Third, to provide an ink proofing apparatus which in use simulates working conditions in the press in which the ink is to be used.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying my invention with the parts shown in printing position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partially in vertical section showing the printing cylinder carrier in retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view with the printing unit suited for aniline type of ink.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the aniline type of ink printing unit, partially in section.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated the base 1 is provided with an upright or pedestal 2. The base also supports the electric motor conventionally shown at 3.

The motor is provided with a manual control switch not illustrated. The impression cylinder or drum 4 is mounted on the shaft 5 carried by the pedestal, the shaft being provided with a pulley 6 connected by the belt 7 to the pulley 8 on the shaft 9 of the motor.

The impression cylinder 4 is provided with a resilient rim or facing 10 and has a gap 11 in which the ends 12 of the work sheet 13 may be disposed with the work sheet wrapped around the impression cylinder. A work clamp 14 conventionally illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided. A rock shaft 15 is mounted on the pedestal and provided with an actuating arm 16 and a control arm 17. Actuating thrust is imparted to the arm 16 by means of the spring 18 which is in thrust engagement with an abutment 19 on the arm and is adjustably supported by means of the screw 20 having threaded engagement with the bracket 21 on the pedestal and provided with a knurled finger piece 22. The screw is provided with a swiveled spring engaging thrust member 23. A scale 24 is mounted on the pedestal in operatively associated relation to the finger piece of the tensioning screw, the finger piece being provided with a pointer 25 which is in the embodiment illustrated in the form of a groove.

2,719,483 Patented Oct. 4, 1955 The control arm 17 is operatively associated with the rotatable cam 26 which is provided with a finger piece 27 for manual adjustment. The cam is provided with a pair of diverging tappet arms 28 and 29 which are positioned to be engaged by the tappet pin 30 on the impression cylinder.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I illustrate a printing unit designated generally by the numeral 31, adapted for use in proofing or testing rotogravure types of inks.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I illustrate a printing unit designated generally by the numeral 32, for the testing of aniline types of inks. These units may be interchangeably mounted on the rock shaft 15.

The unit 31 comprises a printing cylinder carrier including the yoke-like member 33 on which the printing cylinder 34 is mounted. The carrier has an arm 35 sleeved upon the rock shaft and secured thereto by means of the pin 36 or other suitable means. The member 33 is secured to the arm by means of the bolt 37 which permits the proper aligning of the cylinder with the work on the impression cylinder. The combined doctor and ink fountain 38 is pivotally mounted at 39 on the depending bracket 40 and is urged against the printing cylinder by the spring 41.

The carrier of the unit 32 comprises the yoke-like member 42, the arms of which have downwardly facing slots 43 for the journal 44 of the printing cylinder 45. The journal 46 of the metering and spreader roller 47 is carried in the slidably mounted bearings 48 which are biased by the spring 49 to yieldingly urge the roller 47 against the printing cylinder 45. The yoke portion of the carrier is adjustably mounted on the arm 51 corresponding to the arm 35 of the printing unit 31.

In the use of the apparatus a strip of paper or other work is wrapped around the impression cylinder and secured thereto, with the selected printing unit in place depending upon the type of ink to be used. The tension of the actuating spring 18 is adjusted to apply the desired thrust or pressure to the printing; cylinder. The cam 26 is then adjusted manually by the finger piece 27 to position the cam, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position it will be noted the printing cylinder is retracted. This positions the tappet arm 28 to be engaged by the tappet 30 to actuate the cam.

If the rotogravure unit is used a small amount of rotogravure ink is applied to the doctor blade which also serves as a fountain although only a relatively small amount of ink is used. The motor is then started which drives the impression cylinder and the tappet arm 28 is engaged by the tappet pin 30 thereby turning the cam to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and lowering the printing cylinder into contact with the impression cylinder. The impression cylinder continues to rotate and at the end of one revolution the tappet pin engages the tappet arm 29 actuating the cam to lift the printing cylinder from the drum as is shown in Fig. 3. The motor is then turned off and the printing cylinder stops after a few revolutions, which effectively dries the ink.

The same steps are followed when the printing unit 32 is used except that the ink is placed between the nip of the rollers 45 and 47. Either unit may be quickly removed from the rock shaft after use and quickly and easily cleaned.

The apparatus of my invention enables the very rapid and effective testing or proofing of inks on the stock or work to which they are to be applied. A strip of the stock to be printed is desirably used in the testing or proofing operation.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical embodiment thereof. 1 have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or 3 adaptations which I contemplate as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder provided with a Work clamp and having a tappet thereon, a rock shaft provided with an actuating arm and with a control arm, a rock shaft actuating spring coacting with said rock shaft actuating arm, manually adjustable tensioning means for said spring having gauge indicia associated therewith, a rotatably mounted manually adjustable control cam supportingly coacting with said rock shaft control arm for actuating said rock shaft against the bias of said rock shaft actuating spring and provided with tappet arms positioned to be alternately engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder as the impression cylinder is rotated through one cycle, a printing cylinder carrier mounted on said rock shaft, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, a doctor mounted on said printing cylinder carrier in coacting relation to the printing cylinder carried thereby and constituting an ink fountain, said tappet arms on said control cam being positioned so that one tappet arm is engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder to actuate the control cam to printing position and to position the other tappet arm to be engaged by the tappet to retract the printing cylinder carrier on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

2. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder provided with a work clamp and having a tappet thereon, a rock shaft provided with an actuating arm and with a control arm, a rock shaft actuating spring coacting with said rock shaft actuating arm, a control cam supportingly coacting with said rock shaft control arm for actuating said rock shaft against the bias of said rock shaft actuating spring and provided with tappet arms positioned to be alternately engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder as the impression cylinder is rotated through one cycle, a printing cylinder carrier mounted on said rock shaft, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, a doctor mounted on said printing cylinder carrier in coacting relation to the printing cylinder carried thereby and constituting an ink fountain, said tappet arms on said control cam being positioned so that one tappet arm is engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder to actuate the control cam to printing position and to position the other tappet arm to be engaged by the tappet to retract the printing cylinder carrier on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

3. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder provided with a work clamp and having a tappet thereon, a rock shaft provided with an actuating arm and with a control arm, a rock shaft actuating spring coac'ting with said rock shaft actuating arm, a control cam supportingly coacting with said rock shaft control arm for actuating said rock shaft against the bias of said rock shaft actuating spring and provided with tappet arms positioned to be alternately engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder as the impression cylinder is rotated through one cycle, a printing cylinder carrier mounted on said rock shaft, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, a spring biased doctor pivotally mounted on said printing cylinder carrier in coacting relation to the printing cylinder carried thereby and constituting an ink fountain, said tappet arms on said control cam being positioned so that one tappet armris engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder to actuate the control cam to printing position and to position the other tappet arm to be engaged by the tappet to retract the printing cylinder carrier on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

4. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven impression cylinder provided with a tappet, a spring actuated rock shaft provided with a control arm, a rotatably mounted manually adjustable control cam supportingly coacting with said rock shaft control arm for actuating said rock shaft against the bias of said rock shaft actuating spring and provided with tappet arms positioned to be alternately engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder as the impression cylinder is rotated through one cycle, a printing cylinder carrier mounted on said rock shaft, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, said tappet arms on said control cam being positioned so that one tappet arm is engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder to actuate the control cam to printing position and position the other tappet arm to be engaged by the tappet to retract the printing cylinder carrier on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

5. A device for proofing printing inks comprising 'a driven impression cylinder provided with a tappet, a spring actuated rock shaft provided with a control arm, a control cam supportingly coacting with said rock shaft control arm for actuating .said rock shaft against the bias of said rock shaft actuating spring and provided with tappet arms positioned to be alternately engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder as the impression cylinder is rotated through one cycle, a printing cylinder carrier mounted on said rock shaft, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, said tappet arms on said control cam being positioned so that one tappet arm is engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder to actuate the control cam to printing position and position the other tappet arm to be engaged by the tappet to retract the printing cylinder carrier on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

6. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven impression cylinder provided with a tappet, a spring actuated rock shaft provided with a control arm, a control cam supportingly coacting with said rock shaft control arm for actuating said rock shaft against the bias of said rock shaft actuating spring and provided with tappet arms positioned to be alternately engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder as the impression cylinder is rotated through one cycle, a printing cylinder carrier mounted on said rock shaft, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, a doctor mounted on said printing cylinder carrier in coacting relation to the printing cylinder carried thereby and constituting an ink fountain,

, said tappet arms on said control cam being positioned so that one tappet arm is engaged by said tappet on said impression cylinder to actuate the control cam to printing position and position the other tappet arm to be engaged by the tappet to retract the printing cylinder carrier on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

7. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder, a rock shaft, a spring connected to said rock shaft and biasing the shaft to print position, manually adjustable tensioning means for said spring having gage indicia associated therewith,

a manually adjustable control cam operatively associated'with said rock shaft to sustain the actuating thrust of said rock shaft actuating spring on the rock shaft, a printing cylinder carrier removably mounted on said rock shaft and eccentric thereto, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, and means on said impression cylinder and control cam coacting in one adjusted position of said cam to rotate the control cam to permit swinging of said rock shaft and printing cylinder to printing position at the beginning of a cycle of rotation of the impression cylinder, said means coacting to retract the printing cylinder on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

8. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder, a rock shaft, a spring connected to said rock shaft, and biasing the shaft to print position, a control cam operatively associated with said rock shaft to sustain the actuating thrust of said rock shaft actuating spring on the rock shaft, a printing cylinder carrier removably mounted on said rock shaft and eccentric thereto, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, and means on said impression cylinder and control cam coacting in one adjusted position of said cam to rotate the control cam to permit swinging of said rock shaft and printing cylinder to printing position at the beginning of a cycle of rotation of the impression cylinder, said means coacting to retract the printing cylinder on the completion of the cycle of the impression cylinder.

9. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder provided with a work clamp, a rockably mounted printing cylinder carrier, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier eccentric to the rocking axis of said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, means for yieldingly urging said printing cylinder carrier to printing position, a manually adjustable control cam supportingly associated with said carrier for holding it in retracted position against the thrust of said means for yieldingly urging the printing cylinder to printing position, and means on said impression cylinder coacting in one adjusted position of said cam to rotate said control cam to permit said carrier to be actuated by said yielding means to printing position at the beginning of a cycle of rotation of the 35 impression cylinder and to engage the cam to retract the carrier on the completion of such cycle.

10. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven resiliently faced impression cylinder provided with a Work clamp, a rockably mounted printing cylinder carrier, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier eccentric to the rocking axis of said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, means for 'yieldingly urging said printing cylinder carrier to printing position, a control cam supportingly associated with said carrier for holding it in retracted position against the thrust of said means for yieldingly urging the printing cylinder to printing position, and means on said impression cylinder coacting in one adjusted position of said cam to rotate said control cam to permit said carrier to be actuated by said yielding means to printing position at the beginning of a cycle of rotation of the impression cylinder and to engage the cam to retract the carrier on the completion of such cycle.

11. A device for proofing printing inks comprising a driven impression cylinder, a rockably mounted printing cylinder carrier, a printing cylinder mounted on said carrier to coact with said impression cylinder, means for actuating said printing cylinder carrier to printing position, means for holding said carrier in retracted nonprinting position in opposition to said actuating means, and coacting tappet means on said impression cylinder and said holding means for moving the holding means at the beginning of the cycle of rotation of the impression cylinder to permit the printing cylinder to coactingly engage the impression cylinder, said tappet means acting to return said holding means to printing cylinder retracting position at the completion of such cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

